January 2013

wee answer Wednesday — 7 short answers to 7 short questions

It’s wee answer Wednesday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. My boss banned sugary foods from the office Today my boss, who is also the buisness owner, tried to tell our office staff that we are banned from bringing in sugary foods, and she told a coworker who brought […]

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how to apply for a job you’re not fully qualified for

A reader writes: Reading one of your older posts about those who may be a bit under-qualified for a job, you said that the applicant has to offer a way that they can make up for their lack in experience. Can you give a few examples of what you mean by that? Would offering to start […]

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how to tell a coworker to stop commenting on my hours

A reader writes: How do I tactfully tell a coworker to stop commenting on my hours? I could do it, but I tend to be snarky, especially when I’m annoyed about something, and I’d like to maintain the appearance of diplomacy. Here’s the background: I work in accounting. She’s the receptionist. She has to be […]

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asking about mental health in an interview

A reader writes: I’ve just been put in charge of hiring a group of staff for a summer camp.I began managing this group of staff last May (and was thus not involved in the hiring process) and discovered that a couple staff members had some mental health issues that interfered with their job responsibilities. Two […]

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an interview with me, nominations, etc.

A couple of me-centric things — 1. Unmana Datta, a marketing specialist who sometimes comments here, just published an interview with me about some of the behind-the-scenes workings of Ask a Manager, and how the blog led me to start working for myself. It includes the biggest challenges I’ve faced as an entrepreneur, my least […]

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ask the readers: how can I work better with recruiters?

I’m going to throw this one out to the readers for advice. A reader writes: I’m hoping you or your readers have some wisdom for me on this. I work in a creative field, at a senior level, mostly in the digital realm. Up until now, I have found jobs on my own—good jobs. But […]

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10 most embarrassing networking stories

Some people love to network, and it comes as naturally to them as talking to a close friend would. For others, networking can be far more formidable, full of the potential for mistakes and even outright humiliation. Here are 10 of the funniest and most embarrassing networking stories readers have shared here. 1. Doused in champagne […]

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short answer Sunday — 7 short answers to 7 short questions

It’s short answer Sunday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Discrimination in health care benefits? I recently applied for a job, and received a tentative offer after several rounds of interviews. During a discussion with the head of human resources, I asked for a copy of the company’s benefits. […]

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